Huntsville preparing for new development at old Coca-Cola property downtown

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – It's no secret that the former Coca-Cola bottling plant across from the Von Braun Center is in line to be redeveloped.

In an effort to be proactive, the Huntsville City Council on Thursday hired Walter Schoel Engineering to research the sidewalks, roads, sewer lines and other public infrastructure around the downtown Coke site.

Director of Urban Development Shane Davis said the $79,560 study will detail the public improvements needed to support a major redevelopment at the Coke property, and give city leaders a better understanding of how much those upgrades will cost.

"When that property redevelops, there are some things the city is going to have to do," said Davis. "We just want to be prepared to respond."

Davis said the city will have to do some significant work before anything can be built on the Coke property.

At minimum, a large sewer line buried under the bottling plant will have to be moved and new sidewalks poured, he said. The next owner could also ask the city to remove Pollard Street, a shortcut between Clinton and Holmes avenues that bisects the Coke site.